From my experience once the rep gets hold of you and will try to sell you ad space, if you act just a little interested, but will hold on buying the space, you can normally get anything from the publication -- from promoting your product in an article to a whole article about your product or service.

Have no illusions. If you know anyone in advertising, you'll learn some interesting stories, how to be able to get an ad for a lot lower price than an ad agency pays, to getting your products "evaluated" by editors. All you have to do is establish a good relationship, and believe me, the advertising department has a direct connection to the editor in chief.

There is no news that is not biased. This is all subtle. Some editors get promoted, some don't. It all depends on how well they know the game and understand the culture, without talking about it. Remember it officially does not exist. There is no better place to learn the "culture" than in Hollywood. I had a pretty good relationship with my boss on an early job, just out of school. He was pretty open with me. He basically categorized his people into the ones who understand American culture and those who don't. It did not matter if they were Americans or nor. The ones who lied to protect him and the company "understood" and got promoted. Others lost jobs. I left for a better job. But there is no more bull anywhere than in Hollywood -- and in advertising. Just remember -- media's business purpose is not there to bring you news, it is there to sell advertising. And there are some very interesting ways of selling it.

The New York Times review was written by David
Pogue. In case you don't know who he is, he used to write a very popular column for MacWorld. He's got tons of Apple-related books to his credit, he's written a handbook on iMovie2. I could go on and on but I think you get the picture....this guy knows what he's talking about. Unfortunately for some of you who always see the glass as half empty, he likes the camera!

Mr. Pogue is a excellent writer and certainly qualified to review cameras for the New York Times. If the reviews don't meet your guidelines for technical merits and specifications, I suggest you consider the writers intended audience.